Tractor



Nov. 8, 1927.

C. E. DURYEA TRACTOR- Filed Dec. 19, 1917 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 abtozwu Nov. 8, 1927.

C. E. DURYEA TRACTOR Filed D90- 19. 1917 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 attorney k c. E. :DURYEA Nov. 8, 1927.

TRACTOR Filed Dec. 19, 1917 5 Sheets-$heei s 'Nov. 8, 1927. 1,648,298

C. E. DURYEA TRACTOR Filed Dec. 19, 1917 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I I I I. I I I I I I I I N m I v n I I- I k I a 1 I I I I I L.

Q [N VEN T OR WWI/army Patented Nov. 8, 1%27. I

. arren era as I v leases Y ferries;

crmnrns n. nunyna orririnnnnnrrim; .E-ENNSYLVANIA,

, 'rnnoron,

Application fiieaneeember 19, 1917. Serial No. 207,952.

My invention relates'to that class of selfmoving vehicles more particularly adapted to towing and propelling? farming implements, although serviceable for other uses, and the improvements herein described have astheir objects, amcngothers, the lowering of cost,.lessening of weight,increasing of traction and facilitating operation in a number of ways which will appear in the more complete description. y Y

Other objects and advantages of the invention, will hereinafter appear and the novel featuresthereof will be more particularly pointed out. in the appended claims.

The invention, in, its preferred forms, is

clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, ofwhich Figure 1 is a plan of a light construction.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal'section of the same on the line 22 of Figure 1.

.Figure' 3 is a detail of the common form of steering mechanism, taken on the line 3 of Figure 2.

Figure i is a cross sectional elevation, on the line 4Et of "Figure 1, of the bearing and levers by which the driving rollers are forced into engagement.

Figure 5 is a sectional plan of the countershaft of Fig. 2, with parts broken away.-

Figure 6 is perspective view, in detail,

of the operating lever.

Figures 7 and 8 are details,jin plan and cross section respectively, the latteron the line 8-8 of Figure 5, 0f the speed changingdevice. I

F'gure 9 is aside elevation of the steering pedal.

Figure 10 isa plan view of Figure. 9, more angles to Figurel mere- 6 is e a ged l ns t d ea see tion through the cylinder :of'the power (3011- trol mechani sm.f v a V U Figure 17 IS a detailin top plan of a hitch for tandem t-rallersj- Figure 18'is an enlarged view of the drawbar with parts in section and portions:

broken away, alsoseen in Figure 2. Figure 19Iis a detail elevation of a fi'ed'form" of hitch. Figure 2021s a skeleton plan. v

Figure 21visa side elevation. -The main frame acarries a diead axle a on which the wheels 0 c are j'ournaled. It

also serves as a mounting. for the .Safety modie wheel a, carried at the front va guard against upsetting forward. wlienrhaiig-ing fromfone implement to another. This frame alsocarries a steering segment a Figures 1, 2 and 3, in which a worm atengages atthe will of the operator, but which may be'f a Figures ,1, 2, 3, 9 and 10., The frame a disengaged by depressing. the eccentric pedal I supports the driving'shaft b' journal'ed sliding bearings b Z) and-driven by sprocket b and chain 6 from the smaller sprocket 5 on the engine shaft 6 and also supports the engine with its tanks andfittings. which are not shown because notinvolved inthe invention describedhereinf It is evident that any suitable power plant maybe used, but more commonly aninternalcombustion engine using liquid or gaseous fuel isflweil fitted.

.The driving'wheelsare proportioned fin size to the Work to be done and, as shown in Figures land 2, may have pneumatic tires adapted for hauling road vehicles or light implements not requiring great tractive ability, or, as shown in Figure 11, may be'fitted with metaltires 0'" c and cross cleatsor grousers for use in heavy duty, as in plow.-v ing, but, in any event, they are .fitted with driven rings 6 '6 forming multiple .V-curfaces adaptedto be engagedby complementary grooves in rollers b 7), said ringsbes ing of. two diameters with the rollers 10- catedbetween them so that moving the roll.- ers lengthwise thevehicle engages] one ring or the other and, correspondingly, produces in that wheel. a forward or reversefniove'v ment. The. constructionof these'rin s and rollers 15 more particularly showirin :Fmt'ed States Patent. No. 1,034,?69 of Auguste, 1912, andso need notbe more fully described hera. i

:It wii1.beobvimisthat. sir the reg 'as one, but permitting endwise lengthening or'shortening, as shown in Figures and 8,

in which the outer section 5 slides into the central section 6 being manually moved by the shifter collar b with'handle 72 and held by springsb b in retaining notches 5 I) in the tubular shell which, being fixed on the central portion 6 carriesthe bearing b which allows sliding only since there is no rotation at this point except that of the complete shaft 6 in the bearing blocks 6 b which'have inner bearing surfaces of the shape of a sphere section and outer surfaces permitting them to slide more 'or less radially with respect to the driving wheels c c and by this means I can readily predetermine which collar shall engage with the group of ridges. A degree of variation from a radial position is'not objectionable, but offers some advantages in that there is sime tendency of the rollers to roll into tighter contact with consequent less nondriving controlling pressure required to en gage them and also less tightening and loosening'of the chain as the shaft is moved fore and aft. These bearings are mounted to move at an angle from the wheel radius less than would cause, the driving action of the rollers to move them into harder contact, that is to say, the reaction of the driving eflort tends to thrust the bearing in adirection opposite to the driven wheel movement,

but care should be taken to insure that the angle is not such as would result in a greater wedging effect than will permit of self release when the normal engaging pressure is removed. Since the location of the'engine does not always permit this bearing shifting 'to be along a chord of an are having its that the spheric bearing surfaces, the sliding bearings, and the chain with-idler permit moving the shaft Z) fore and aft, or' one end forewhile the other is moved aft, or ne n my b morale? W l h e the Considerable varia-- other remains practically stationary. Since but little poweris needed in turning, it does not matter that the rollers do not engage squarely or that the chainis slightly twisted, Other methods of securing equivalent movements may be used, one of which is shown in United States Patent No. 1,208,111 issued December 12, 1916, but which is not so simple vto construct nor so cheap as the improvement herein described.

For the lighter work for which slight roller pressures suffice, manual pressure is applied to the sliding bearings Z) 6 by a link cl, lever d with its pivot 03 and extension d actuated by rods d 0Z from the vertical lever d to which motion is imparted by the operator through the hand the under side of the hand rod d Ball and socket, or equivalent, joints, are used wherever needed to permit proper operation as follows. The operator pushes the hand rod (Z forward to .send the shaft 6 forward for forward pulling and locks it into engagement as tightly as needed by the pawl e He releases this engagement by twisting the rod (3 until the teeth 6V are no longer in engagement with the pawl 6 when he may pull the rod 6 rearward and apply the reverse. If hewishes to make a short turn, as at the end of a plow furrow, he pushes the end of the hand rod (Z to one side as if he were attempting to push the vehicle around in the desired direction, which push throws the vertical lever to the opposite side and, in effect, pushes one rod d and pulls its mate, thus applying forward motion to one driving wheel and reverse motion to the other. If at the same time he applies fore or aft pressure, he will cause one wheel to drive forward or backward, as desired, before the rollers and rings engage on the other. Since these actions are used only in turning, and for short radii at that, the

operation takes but a small amount of time. and since little or no forward progress takes place, very little muscular effort is needed,

on which account no provision for locking the parts in a selected posit-ion need be pro .vidcdp will be apparent that during the turningoperations just described, the more common form of steering, consistingof the worm a with its set of bevel gears and usual steering column and wheel, must either move with the main frame a or be disengaged therefrom. Thus, if a light'garden implement like a walking plow is used, the weight of the shaft 6 and other parts on the front of the main frame largely balance the weight of the implement and render it easy 't'o lii't it out of the ground while turning.

The operator then holdsthe implement free the s ed w th em, h While a es one wheel or sending the'other forward, to

make the short right angle turn needed in' nism remains engaged and ready for use to correct the direction by the steering wheel movement when the rollersare in use steering mechanism is temporarily disengaged by depressing the pedal (2 and releasing the rack a and main frame a from the steering mechanism, which is mounted on the draw bar 7 and to which draw bar 7' the implement is attached by its tongue, or beam, or some such equivalent. thus detached,- the implement can be turned as perfectly by manipulatin-gthe tractor as it could with a' team. Further consideration of the draw bar construction will be given later. I

Having described the simpler hand-operated form of direction control, the action of the power control used in the heavier and more common formof tractor, now to be described, will be more readily understood. In this the piston rod 9, Figure l6,-'takes the place of the rod (Z the cylinder 9 is carried on the main frame a and-two flexible tubes g connect each cylinder with the hand valve block 9 inwh-ich the valves g and g with the by-pass valve g" are. located. In addition to the four cylinder pipes, two from each, an inlet pipe i and an outlet pipe also join the valve block g Theou-tlet pipe 0 runs to a tank (not shown) in any suitable location, from which tank a pump operated by the engine forces liquid into the valve block 9 through the inlet pipe 71, The liquid enters a distributing chamber 7', Figures 12 and 15, from which it may flow into the ends ofthe valves g v and 9 if they are set to passit, or else it will force open the by-pass valve 9 against the forked spring Z and return to the tank via the outlet pipe 0. The amount of pressure on this liquid is that of the spring Z acting on the valve g and is adjustable by turning the knob is which is screwed onto the squared stem 7': of the valve. If all power is desired off, the operator pulls the knob is until its large cylindric portion ktis drawn between the two prongs of the spring Z, in which position it will remain until power is again wanted, while the'liquid' fronrthe pump simply passes to the'ioutl'et pipe without-resistance or doing work on the pistons. Air cushions y g] are fitted. to the cylinders to allow a slightmovement' to 'fO'llQW Ping flnequahT-ties.

Y'Vlien'th'e valve handle's'ofthe valves'g and are horizontal, the liquid pressure canno'tvreach the pipesg? gtan'd so the pisdo not act, but, on the contrary, both pee connect with the outlet by means of the valveconstruction shown in Figures 12 and 13, onwhich-account vthepiston allows the roller toi're'ely move away from the ring and take a non-active position. The pipes gtgfl beingfiexible, permit the valve block being carried on the draw bar and moving therewith, whereas the lighter rod and lever construction had to be mounted on the main frame a and move with it. This. is not obj-ectionab'lc'in the smaller sizes, since the op erator can usually reach'the hand rod handle even i il' the'wlieelsare turning in a small circle, but in "the-larger sizes the same angle would require a longer and" inconvenient reach. 7 V I V The draw bar f may serve as a draw bar andas a support to maintain'the implement and tractor in an upright position, or simply as a steering device for the implement and asu'pport for the tractor. Sincemany implementsnow drawn by tractorsuwere forlil'cllyllOI'SG-CllZHVIl, they usually are not designed to be drawn by thetongue, but must have a cha in' or cable to hitch to their draw clevis just as their design callsfor. Every one who knows liow'b eautii'ully a well-balanced plow will stand upright and main tain an even depth without being held, wi-ll understand that'any attempt to draw such a plow by any other hitch would at once cause trouble and greatly increased. draft. I, therefore, make the draw bar adjustable as tolength and swivel it-to allow the tractor and the wheeled implement toffollow the ground surface with their own wheels and provide means for making it rigid when needed, as well as means to allow it to yield inlength when towing the implement by. the chain hitch. This construct on is shown. n F1 gin-e18 where the rear end of the draw bar is drawn toalarger scale than the remainder and: in which 7 is the rear'portion of the drawban, This passes through a tubular part of the front portion and has holes f in which pins 7 f may be placed to adjust the length. Springs f f may be used at onev or both ends of the tubular portion or omitted, leaving ample space for telescoping. A groove shown at the top of therear portion in which one or more set screws f may project. If not set down fully, they allow the bar parts to telescope, but not' to: swivel. i If partly withdrawn, they permit free motion; if fullyset down, they render the two parts" 'oft'hebar' rigid as one.

Notonly is a chain or cable hitch needed, i butit. must be at. the standard height to I properly pull certain implements like'the Wall P ow neutered iaisons,-and-i these vehicles.

therefore, I provide near the center of the axle a an adjustable attaching post or point m, for the said chain or cable a. Not only does this vertically adjustable post insure proper'draft to the implement, but if this draft is taken by the tractor at any point below the axle it tends'to lift the rear of the frame which, being resisted by the draw bar and tongue of vthe implement, results in downward thrust of the driving wheels and, consequently, improved traction, just as the increased angle of pull helps to hold the tractor to the ground if the cable runs to the axle or above, but without introducing traction difficulties at the in'iplemen't by tw- 1 ing it at a wrong height or depending on the rigidity of the draw bar to transmit much tractive force. While the adjustable post an may be strong enough to take the whole pull of the implement, it will usually be found advisable to attach the cable to the main frame forward of this post m and use the post for adjustment only, forcing the cable down to the desired line.

Since implements differ in length, I make the steering and control columns and rods or the flexible tubes in such manner as to permit adjusting the steering wheel and the control a greater or less distance from the axle to bring them within reach of the operator. I show in Figure 2 a vertical adjustment for the steering column, but such adjustment and the support for the valve block on the housing of the steering column (not shown) are so common as to need no illustration.

The steering column o carrying the steering wheel 4) and arranged within the sleeve '21, carries the bevel gear e meshing with the bevel ear '0 on a shaft mounted in the tubular T o as seen inFi uros 2 3 and 10.

The shaft e with its eccentric a j in the sleeve at having the stud a, is shown clearlyin Figures 3, 9 and 10.

7 12 through which the draw bar 7 passes, has a hook member '2)? wlnch supports the rack a as seen in Figures 2 and 3.

The foregoing description being largely diagrammatic, I reserve the right to. construct my mechanism with such mechanical .lnodifications as may be necessary to carry out the functions and ideas involved herein in a workmanlike and workable manner, and to meet the needs of the farmer or other owner who may possess one or more of For instance, I may carry the valve blocks and hand wheel to a position further front on one of the tractors and then by joining the draw bars, as at F to form a rigid reach, I provide a chassis suitable-for carrying a large body and having all four wheels, capable of being used for propulsion. Ihus arranged, eitherpair of wheels may be steered separately or both together; and any selected, wheel may be drivenor all of'them; Itwill be understood that for such use I release the sprocket 1nstead of the worm;- IVi-th such a construction usually but one power plant will, be

used, but for veryheavy service the second power plant becomes instantly available by engaging the rollers while the wheel 1s moving which will turn over and start the sec-v ond engine.

The frame a is shown of such proportion that the length is greater-than the width, but can well be shorter and have the steering segment a continued to form a ,much larger arc and permit a much more complete turn when steered to the limit. ()r the same result could be obtained. by carrying the segment a out to a point near the tires, as

shown in Figure 1.'

While these tractors will be used for such 7 jobs as are within their range, they .can be combined by an owner having two and form a fourwlleeled chassis on which a suitable body may be mounted. This combination is easily effected in the following manner. The steering column o, Figure 2, may be set ver' tical if the segment which supports the same is so made as to permit this. The upper end of the columns 11 may be removed and a sprocket fitted to thevertical stubs of the columns 41 remaining. Two tractors thus fitted may have their draw-bars f f joined, as indicated in. Figurel7, which union brings one steering segment ahead of its axle center and the other behind its axle center. These sprockets shown at t? and 16* on the shafts t and t, Figure 17, may both be operated by a single chain 6 which is propelled by thesmall sprocket 22 carried by a steering column t located at any suitable place on the body fitted to the chassis, or, if the body is removable the steering column 6 may be carried by a bracket from the forward drawbar 7. The contact of the chain t with the sprockets t i should be such that both segvments are moved to the same side of the line of the draw-bars ff and thus cause the front pair of wheels to turn in one direction while the rear pair turn in the other and closely follow in 'the curved tracks of the forward ones. s

By the use of a jaw clutch, not shown, one of the sprockets may be released from its steering column and the worm a will hold its segment in fixed relation to the draw-bar 7, while the other sprocket steers its segment and pair of wheels. By the use 01' such clutch and suitable operating means for it, the steering may be done by one pair of wheels only or. by both; while if "both sprockets are thus supplied, the operator may choose which pair of wheels he will use for steering and thus secure perfect steering whether the vehicle runs forward or: backward. Naturally, the flexible tubes and valve blocks for applying the power. and.

any controls for operating the throttle -antl spark may be carried 1 to the top of the 001- umn t or in some similar position where the operator can operate them an'd'on'e engine us'e'd to drive one or two wheels 3 may be used, and all four V ting since nir 'hing' it with the wheels of the moving vehicle'will set it in motion; This double power pl nt thus-be comes most perfect for us'e'in d cult places i 1 ce it may be steered in any direction and any two wheels may be driven. fit-is also economic'since but one engine needbe used if the other is not needed. 7

shoe bralces, as described in the earlier patent mentioned above, may be fitted or that the pump pressure maybe diverted-to a cylinder and piston and caused to apply brakes,

very rea c'lily.

-Uther modi ficati'ons m "details, pr'o'por-' tions of parts etc; may be esorted to with out departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

l/Vhat is claimed as new is 1. In a motor vehicle, an engine shaft, a countersha-ft mounted in bearings which permit of moving it bodily fore and aft in the vehicle, and also to permit moving either vend fore and aft independent of the other,

a flexible connection between said engine and countershaft, grooved rollers on the countershaft ends, vehicle wheels, with complementary ridges to engage said rollers,

means for predetermining the roller which shall engage and means manually operated for causing a predetermined roller to engage predetermined ridges.

2. In a motor vehicle, an engine shaft, a countershaft mounted in bearings which permitof moving it bodily fore and aft in the vehicle, and also permit moving either end fore and aft independent of the other, a flexible connection between said engine 'and countershaft, grooved rollers on the countershaft ends, vehicle wheels with complementary ridges to engage said rollers, and power means manually controlled for causing a predetermined roller to engage predetermined ridges.

3. In a motor vehicle, an engine shaft, a countershaft mounted in bearings which permit of moving it bodily fore and aft in the vehicle, and also permit moving either end fore and aft independent. of the other, a flexible connection betweensaid engine and countershaft, grooved rollers on the countershaft ends, vehicle wheels with complementary ridges to engage said rollers, and manually adjustable power, pressure manually controlled means for causing a predetermined roller to engage predetermined ridges. V

i. In a motor vehicle, a countershaft Tie second engine will not gine andtwodouble acting pessurec li trolling valves in such connection; lie brakes are shown, but it is evident that v Controlled for moving said shaft 'in ,a pro determined manner, said power means coin-1 prising a pressurepump "driven by the enl ders having their pistons connected tosaid bearings and connected with said pump and a -re'gulatmg valve and a 'plurality'of con 5. 111 a '-motor "-vehicle, a count rsh a-ft mounted: and driven to permitllmited' fore and aft mot on, grooved friction rollers "on its ends, complementary friction ridges i the vehicledrivii'ig wheels,5beari-ngs to per" mit such fore and aft motion-and 'any'ang u arity resulting tl1ere from,"'and means for movin aid shaft' to engage said reners aaa g r ridges, said bearings being mounted to move at an angle from the wheel radius less than would cause the driving action of the rollers to move them into harder contact.

6. In combination in a two wheel garden tractor, means for driving either wheel in forward or reverse direction, power. driving means therefor, a single mechanically operated' controlling means laterally movable to effect driving connection on one wheel in one direction and to release drive on the otherwheel, or effect drive in reverse direc tion, said meansfbeing so arranged that the force applied inefi'ecting control of power is also GiIGCtlVG to assist in turning the vehicle;

7. In a motor vehicle, a countershaft mounted and dr ven to permlt limlted fore and aft movement, grooved friction rollers on its ends, driving wheels with complemen tary friction ridges, bearings for said shaft to permit such fore and aft movement as well 21,5311) angularity, and power means i manually adjustable and controlled for mov- 111g said shaft in the aforementionedpredetermmed manner, said power meanscomprising a pressure pump driven by the engine and two double acting pressure cylinders having their plstons connected to said bearings and connected with said pump and aregulating valve and a plurality of controlling valves in such connection. I

'8. Driven wheels carrying rings, a drive shaft carrying complementary rollers to engagesa-id rings, mountings for said shaft to permit either end to move fore and aft, means for drlvlng sa d shaft and permitting said movement, and means for, applying at will said rollers to them. v l I j j 9; In a motor vehicle, a shaft mounted and driven to permit limited fore and ,aft

motion, grooved friction rollers on its ends,

said ringsor anyone of j complementary friction-ridges on the vehi- V cle driving wheels, hearings to permit such ling either of a pair of driving wheels in a forward or reverse direction at will, con trol means for effecting such forward and reverse drlves, a single member for actuating such control means,ra support for said member, said member being reciprocalole 011 and rotatable in said support to effect operat1on of sa d control means, and means operative between said member and support to hold the member with variable pressure against reciprocation,- V t I 11. In a motor vehicle friction-driven mechanism 0110118 of the wheels thereof,

friction-drive mechanism for cooperation therewith, means for moving them into operative limiting wedging Contact, and means including angularly disposed drive-shaft bearings at such an angle with respect to a line drawn radially from the centre of the vehicle wheel as to cause the reaction of the.

friction driven mechanism to automatically assist the driving contact.

12. In a motor vehicle, meansfor propelling either of a pair of driving wheels in a forward orreverse direction at will, control means for effecting such forward and reverse drives, a singlexmember for ,actuating said control means, asupport for said member including a post and a part swiveled thereto, said member being'reciprocable 'on and rotatable in said support to effect operation of said control means, and means operative between said member and swivel to hold the member against reciprocation.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. CHARLES E. VDURYEA. 

